SHILLONG: The banned militant outfit from the state, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has asserted that if the state Congress government and the ruling BJP party at the Center was concern of the growing influx, they should send back Hindu refugees from Meghalaya and other parts of the North East.
The publicity secretary of the HNLC, Sainkupar Nongtraw, in a press statement, was reacting to the claims that BJP would send back Rohingya refugees.
“If the Central government cannot tackle the issue of illegal immigration, without a doubt, the North East especially Meghalaya will face violence worse than Direct Action Day 1946 (infamous Calcutta killings),” he said.
Furthermore, he said that the situation would be different even from that of the 1979, 1987 and 1992 riots. “If the government is indifferent to the influx issues, it won’t be long when the minority community will wrench the country tiger’s tail.
Nongtraw, voicing opposition to the issue of illegal immigration, stated that the tribals do not want an integrated society and the integration with India.
Taking a dig at the Indian Armed Forces, he said, “The soldiers who are to be protectors of the country and its people, have in turn protected the politician’s position.”
He also reacted to the comments of Brigadier Amrit Lal, who stated that there were threats from HNLC and LAEF which prompted the imposition of restrictions to civilians in certain pockets of the city.
Alleging that the restrictions is a “cover up” to encroach land, he pointed to Article 11 of New Delhi Draft Rules States, 1956, “The Parties to the conflict shall, so far as possible, avoid the permanent presence of armed forces, military material, mobile military establishments or installations, in towns or other places with a large civilian population.”
